The Orange County trial attorney describes how persistent investigation following an inconclusive report can alter the results for clients with serious injuries.
The police report is a starting point, not the final word. Every client deserves to know every reasonable avenue has been explored.”— Anson BuiIRVINE, CA, UNITED STATES, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — When a collision occurs at a controlled intersection and both drivers insist they had the green light, the police report often fails to provide a conclusive answer.
For injured residents of California, that inconclusive report can seem like a dead end.
Senior Trial Attorney Anson Bui of Cohn & Swartzon LLP, California Personal Injury Attorneys, believes that does not have to be the case.
Why the Initial Evidence Picture Is Rarely Complete
In accident cases involving disputed liability, the evidence accessible on the day of the crash frequently marks the start of an investigation, not its endpoint. Witnesses may not have provided statements. Surveillance video may not yet have been found. Details that later become crucial to determining what occurred are occasionally brought to light weeks or months after the incident.
"The police report is an important tool," said Bui. "It is a starting point. Sometimes the evidence that ultimately makes the difference is not uncovered until weeks or even months later through thorough investigation. The firm does not stop with the report."
Bui stresses that comprehensive investigation can be essential in disputed liability claims, especially when the initial evidence fails to clarify what transpired. Having conducted more than 600 depositions over his career, Bui recognizes how the quality of investigation influences the outcome of a case.
Independent Witnesses and Why They Matter
Among the most valuable forms of evidence in a disputed liability case is testimony from neutral witnesses—individuals with no connection to either party and no financial stake in the result. Their accounts can be especially important when drivers offer conflicting versions of events.
The absence of an independent witness from the police report does not automatically mean no such witness exists. Additional investigation may involve reaching out to nearby residents or businesses, reviewing accessible surveillance footage, or identifying people who were in the vicinity when the crash occurred. A witness who observed the collision or its aftermath may have departed before police arrived or simply may not have been identified at the scene. In a disputed liability case, locating even one credible independent witness can substantially alter the evidentiary landscape.
"Every case is different, but every client deserves to know that every reasonable avenue has been explored," said Bui. "The goal is to provide honest advice, prepare every case thoroughly, and advocate for the best possible outcome."
What This Means for Injured Californians
Disputed liability does not necessarily spell the end of a personal injury claim. A police report that fails to assign fault may leave significant questions unresolved, and additional evidence can sometimes provide a far clearer picture of how a collision happened.
For injured Californians, an initial lack of evidence should not automatically be mistaken for a lack of a viable case. Additional evidence uncovered through investigation may clarify what happened and who was responsible.
When fault is not immediately obvious, Bui and the California Personal Injury Attorneys at Cohn & Swartzon LLP do not treat an inconclusive police report as the final word. The firm investigates the circumstances and pursues every reasonable avenue of evidence before reaching conclusions about a client's claim.
About Anson Bui
Anson Bui is a Senior Trial Attorney at Cohn & Swartzon LLP, California Personal Injury Attorneys, in Irvine, California. He has conducted more than 600 depositions throughout his career and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, known as ABOTA.
ABOTA membership is one of the most selective distinctions available to trial attorneys in the United States. To qualify, attorneys must meet a minimum threshold of jury trials to verdict, a standard that reflects not simply legal experience but demonstrated courtroom performance at the highest level. ABOTA members represent a small fraction of practicing trial attorneys nationally and are widely recognized by judges, opposing counsel, and insurers as attorneys who are genuinely prepared to take a case all the way to trial. That standing matters in personal injury litigation because insurance companies evaluate claims differently when they know the attorney on the other side of the table has the trial record to back their position.
Before joining Cohn & Swartzon LLP, Bui served as in-house counsel for a Fortune 50 company, where he was named Trial Attorney of the Year in 2022. He is fluent in Vietnamese.
About Cohn & Swartzon LLP
Founded in 2008, Cohn & Swartzon LLP is a firm of California Personal Injury Attorneys representing individuals and families in serious injury and wrongful death matters throughout the state. Practice areas include automobile and trucking accidents, catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, dog bites, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, rideshare collisions, premises liability, and mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. The firm's attorneys have recovered $150 million or more in verdicts, judgments, and settlements throughout their combined careers. All consultations are free. All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Services are available in English and Spanish.
Anson Bui
Cohn & Swartzon LLP
+1 888-480-3883
referrals@legalhelp123.com
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